Moving to South Carolina from Louisiana
What to Expect
Considering a move from Louisiana to South Carolina? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Louisiana to South Carolina, you would find that South Carolina is 12.2% more expensive than Louisiana. A $75,000 salary in Louisiana would need to be roughly $83,515 in South Carolina to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Columbia averages 66°F vs 79°F in Baton Rouge, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Louisiana and South Carolina.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $83,515
To maintain the same standard of living in South Carolina
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 13.8% more
Groceries
pay 12.2% more
Transportation
pay 5.5% more
Housing
pay 17.4% more
Childcare
pay 35.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 5.2% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in South Carolina compared to Louisiana.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
South Carolina performs significantly better than Louisiana across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
South Carolina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Louisiana leads in uninsured rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Louisiana generally does better on what about housing?, though South Carolina leads in homeownership rate.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
South Carolina performs significantly better than Louisiana across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Louisiana generally does better on employment & economy, though South Carolina leads in median household income.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
South Carolina performs significantly better than Louisiana across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Baton Rouge | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 67°/45°F (19°/7°C) | 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 85°/64°F (30°/18°C) | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 91°/72°F (33°/22°C) | 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) | 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Baton Rouge | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) |
| Feb | 66°/44°F (18.7°/6.9°C) | 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 73°/50°F (22.6°/10.2°C) | 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) |
| Apr | 79°/57°F (26.3°/13.8°C) | 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) |
| May | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.4°C) | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) |
| Jun | 91°/71°F (32.7°/21.9°C) | 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) |
| Jul | 92°/74°F (33.4°/23.2°C) | 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) |
| Aug | 92°/73°F (33.6°/23.0°C) | 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) |
| Sep | 89°/69°F (31.5°/20.3°C) | 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) |
| Oct | 81°/58°F (27.1°/14.4°C) | 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) |
| Nov | 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) | 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) |
| Dec | 64°/43°F (17.8°/5.9°C) | 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in South Carolina than Louisiana?
On average South Carolina is around 11% pricier than Louisiana, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to South Carolina?
Budget about $20,879 for 3 months in South Carolina (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is South Carolina safe?
South Carolina performs significantly better than Louisiana across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in South Carolina compared to Louisiana?
South Carolina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Louisiana leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in South Carolina compared to Louisiana?
The average high temperature in Columbia is 66°F, compared to 79°F in Baton Rouge. Columbia receives around 46.3 in of rainfall per year, while Baton Rouge gets 60.6 in.
